Annual Growth Survey 2018 (communication)

Key messages:

The EESC:

• considers the framework of the European Semester to be of strategic importance and it is committed to continuing to contribute in the most effective way possible.
• endorses the priorities set out in the European Commission's 2018 Annual Growth Survey.
• reiterates its views regarding the fact that the AGS does not cover other relevant policy areas such as environmental policy or other relevant issues such as the quality of employment.
• supports the view that the key to increasing long-term growth is investment, innovation and knowledge, education and lifelong learning, particularly in green technologies and the circular economy but also in more traditional sectors.
• shares the Commission's view that economically and social reasonable and well-balanced structural reforms in well-functioning labour markets and product markets are essential for the adaptation of the European economy to long-term structural changes and possible economic and environmental shocks.
• considers the European Semester will need to be adapted to a future post-2020 strategy.
• reiterates the need to increase the role of organised civil society in the European Semester cycle and specifically in the preparation of the Annual Growth Survey.